ICE quietly launches 45-day enforcement operation in California, told to 'go after anybody'

ICE Launches Secret 45-Day Crackdown in California

Immigration and Customs Enforcement has quietly initiated a 45-day immigration enforcement operation in California ahead of the midterm elections, instructing officers to "go after anybody."

The operation, dubbed "Operation Safe California," has not been formally announced, but two sources told the Washington Examiner Wednesday that operations have been underway for several days.

• One source stated that officers were "told to go after anybody, they can pick up anybody."
• The Examiner reported this means federal agents will target any undocumented immigrants, not only those with criminal records.
• There is no evidence to suggest ICE has ever limited its enforcement to criminals only.

News of the operation comes as early voting began this week in California, which has been a consistent target of the Trump administration. Voting rights groups cited an ICE detention in Santa Maria, California, on Monday in the same area voters had to pass through to reach a ballot drop box.

This latest surge follows federal agents' descent on Los Angeles in June 2025, which led to widespread protests and violent encounters with law enforcement. Of the hundreds detained in those raids, seven in 10 people had no criminal convictions.

A second source told the Examiner that "management want numbers." Last year, White House deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller instructed ICE to arrest 3,000 immigrants per day, a demand that has overwhelmed the agency and resulted in inhumane and degrading detention practices.

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U.S. Embassy Aide Accused of Suppressing Reports on Israeli Settler Violence

American diplomats are supposed to represent U.S. interests above all else, but an aide to U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee has been running cover for the Israeli government, according to The New York Times.

David Milstein, according to several unnamed sources, quashed reports from the U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem documenting Israeli settler violence in the occupied West Bank—including against Americans.

Key allegations:

• Milstein sent a cable praising Israel for cracking down on settler violence, despite embassy staff drafting a report stating the Israeli government was not taking action.
• After Congress raised concerns about Israeli authorities and settlers killing nine American citizens, Milstein suppressed another embassy report, hindering lawmakers' investigations.
• Milstein demanded all communications from the embassy's Palestinian affairs section go through him, causing embassy cables to drop from several per week to only a few per month.

Sources told the Times this intervention is unprecedented for the embassy and is preventing the U.S. government from obtaining accurate information about Israel through diplomatic channels.

Trump has rarely criticized Israel or Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during his second term and appointed Huckabee—a Christian Zionist and staunch Israel supporter—as ambassador. It remains unclear if Milstein's actions have Huckabee's blessing, but human rights groups and U.S. allies have raised concerns.

Last month, Canada, France, and the U.K. announced sanctions on Israeli settlements in the West Bank. The U.S. has threatened tariffs in response.

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Trump Fails to Intervene as Rallygoer Attacks Protester

President Donald Trump did nothing as one of his rallygoers attacked a peaceful protester during a campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas, Wednesday night.

Trump struggled to deliver his address as his remarks were repeatedly interrupted by at least seven separate protesters.

• As one demonstrator exited through the jeering crowd, a rallygoer in a red hat seized the protester's shirt and yanked his hair, pulling him to the floor.
• Other rallygoers appeared to intervene, but Trump did not. Instead, he basked in the crowd's anger, wandering the stage. "Let me ask you a question, is there anything like a Trump rally? Is there anything like it?" Trump asked, smiling.
• In a separate incident, a rallygoer in a white cowboy hat stalked two protesters being escorted out, smacking one's hat off and appearing to lunge or kick before being held back by security.

Trump's unwillingness to condemn his supporters' violence is nothing new, but failing to address violence unfolding before his eyes remains shameful behavior for any leader.

Speaking at the rally, Trump told demonstrators to "get the hell out of here" and claimed they were "paid by enemies of our nation." After the sixth interruption, Trump joked: "You know, I never talk about looks of a person, but those are really bad looking people."

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Leaked Audio: Ken Paxton Tells Benefit Recipients to "Suck It Up"

More audio of Texas Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton has leaked, featuring the embattled lawmaker telling people who depend on federal benefits programs to "suck it up" and prepare for cuts.

Speaking at the same donor meeting that has produced three previous leaks, as first reported by The Texas Tribune:

"The growing out of this is part of the solution, and making some reasonable cuts to mandatory spending—you're gonna have to do it. There is no solution. That's just the reality. We have to suck it up. From Republican presidents to Democrats, we've been spending like crazy. And no one seems to care. And it's gonna bankrupt us."

Paxton's private comments suggest he is out of step with President Trump and out of touch with average Texas voters.

Liberal podcaster Jon Favreau joked: "At this point I wouldn't be totally surprised if the next leak from this fundraiser is: 'Honestly, you should probably just vote for Talarico.'"

In previous leaks, Paxton called Trump a drag on his campaign and said Trump's war on Iran was raising prices. The leaks paint Paxton as more of a "Never Trump" Republican than the loyalist he portrayed himself as during the primary. This comes as his showdown with Democratic candidate James Talarico draws nearer, with Talarico leading most polls by a small margin.

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Trump Admits Expecting Favors in Exchange for Pardons

When Donald Trump gives, he expects something in return.

The revelation came during an attack Wednesday night against Texas Representative Henry Cuellar, who Trump apparently believed should have become a Republican after receiving a presidential pardon last year.

Speaking at a campaign rally in San Antonio, Trump insisted he never expects quid pro quos regarding presidential pardons—then proved otherwise minutes later.

"I made no deal," Trump declared, recalling his exchange with Cuellar. "I didn't say, 'Oh, I'll give you the pardons if you turn Republican.' I didn't say that. No, I could have done that very easily but—where a crooked politician would have done that. But I thought there would be a good chance that Cuellar might say, 'Wow, he did something really wonderful, you know, somebody has a heart.'"

Trump suggested Cuellar had been villainized by the Democratic Party and would have been welcomed into the Republican Party "if we asked."

He then mused about how Cuellar's daughters had "begged" for their father's pardon, wishing they had used the "same level of charm to convince their mother and father to do the right thing."

"I guess I expected maybe he woul—

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